Pass Sanitaire

What the heck is this? Well it turns out that effective August 9th, in order to eat in a restaurant, visit a museum, or generally do anything inside where there might be a crowd, France requires that you prove you are vaccinated.

If you’re French, that’s no problem because you’re in “la systéme” since you live in country with universal health care.

But if you’re an American, like us, what do you do? we only have our silly little paper CDC cards. There are stories floating around of travelers being denied entry, found to be mostly due to them not carrying both their CDC card and their passport. But nevertheless, having a Pass Sanitaire would be better and easier.

Meet Veronique.

Veronique is the manager of a Pharmacy in central Paris who will very nicely turn your CDC card into the QR code you need for your Pass Sanitaire. She charges €10 for the service. She’ll know exactly what you want and will get it done for you.

While she’s doing something perfectly legal I don’t want the internet to overrun our Veronique. So if you need her location, text me (or email) and I’ll provide what you need to know.

Your options are to try the same at any Pharmacy, but then there is the language barrier and not all pharmacists know how to do it. Otherwise you can go to the Hôpital Hōtel Dieu, near Notre Dame, and have it done there. That also is the world’s oldest operating hospital, and there is a desk right inside the entry doors where you can get it done. So kinda two birds in one with the Pass and the sightseeing. Just not as convenient as your neighborhood pharmacy.

At the end of the process, you’ll get a piece of paper that had a QR code you scan into the app. The app is called “TousAntiCovid” and is free in the App Store. Et voila:

Note that this is accepted across the EU as proof of vaccination. Not the UK, yet, as they are no longer part of the EU. So to review the steps:

1. Bring your CDC card and passport to a pharmacy or the Hôpital Hôtel Dieu

2. Get the free “TousAntiCovid” app

3. Scan the QR code you receive from the pharmacist or rep at the hospital.

4. Listen as the angels sing since you now possess a Pass Sanitaire!